ENGLISH LANGUAGE

DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
WHAT IS DESCRIPTIVE WRITING?

 The descriptive essay is a genre of essay that asks the student to describe something—object, person,
place, experience, emotion, situation, etc. This genre encourages the student’s ability to create a written
account of a particular experience.
 Descriptive writing is a literary device in which the author uses details to paint a picture with their
words. This process will provide readers with descriptions of people, places, objects, and events
through the use of suitable details. The author will also use descriptive writing to create sensory details
as a means of enhancing the reading experience. If done effectively, the reader will be able draw a
connection through the use of sensory details that include seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and
tasting. These techniques will assist you in becoming not only a better writer, but will also make your
writing more engaging for readers.
FUNCTION OF DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

 A descriptive essay presents a person, place, or thing, in a way that readers feel as if it
is in front of their eyes, or that they are tasting it, or that they can hear it, or that they
can smell it. Writers use sensory information to describe object. The object of the
writer is to present a picture of something as honestly as he can.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DESCRIPTION AND DESCRIPTIVE
WRITING

A description could be just a paragraph, or it could be longer, as needed to fully describe

the thing. However, a descriptive essay has five paragraphs. It is written in a coherent
way with a good thesis statement at the end of the introduction, three body paragraphs,
and a conclusion.
  GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY.

 Take time to brainstorm

If your instructor asks you to describe your favorite food, make sure that you jot down some ideas before you begin
describing it. For instance, if you choose pizza, you might start by writing down a few words: sauce, cheese, crust,
pepperoni, sausage, spices, hot, melted, etc. Once you have written down some words, you can begin by compiling
descriptive lists for each one.
 Use clear and concise language.

This means that words are chosen carefully, particularly for their relevancy in relation to that which you are intending
to describe.
 Choose vivid language.

Why use horse when you can choose stallion? Why not use tempestuous instead of violent? Or why not miserly in place
of cheap? Such choices form a firmer image in the mind of the reader and often times offer nuanced meanings that
serve better one’s purpose.
• Use your senses!
Remember, if you are describing something, you need to be appealing to the senses of the reader. Explain how the thing
smelled, felt, sounded, tasted, or looked. Embellish the moment with senses.

• Leave the reader with a clear impression.

One of your goals is to evoke a strong sense of familiarity and appreciation in the reader. If your reader can walk away
from the essay craving the very pizza you just described, you are on your way to writing effective descriptive essays.

• Be organized!
It is easy to fall into an incoherent rambling of emotions and senses when writing a descriptive essay. However, you must
strive to present an organized and logical description if the reader is to come away from the essay with a cogent sense of
what it is you are attempting to describe.
Here are some examples of descriptive writing techniques that you can utilize and effectively apply to your own writing.

Choosing your focus: When you first begin writing, it's extremely important to decide what your topic is going to be. This
will prevent you from losing focus on the theme or main idea of your writing. When you decide what you are going to write
about, you can begin to add details about the specific event, object, or person.

Use of words: In most cases, you'll use adjectives to make your writing more detailed for the reader. For example, rather
than just saying: 'The dog sniffs around,' you'd say: 'The big brown dog sniffed around the red rose bushes in the front yard.'
The use of 'big,' 'brown,' 'red rose bushes,' and 'front yard' assists the reader in visualizing the event and what the dog looks
like. This process will allow the reader to create a mental image through the use of your word choice.

Reader interest: As a writer, it's important paint a picture with your words. One of the best ways to do this is through the use
of the five senses. This won't only engage your target audience, but it'll appeal to other readers as well. By using taste, smell,
hearing, sight, and touch, you are creating an opportunity for the reader to develop an emotional connection to your writing.

Re-reading and redo: Re-reading what you write is an important step in the descriptive writing process. This gives you time
to reflect on whether or not you need to add more details to your writing. Putting yourself in the readers' position is
important. Ask yourself after reading your writing, 'Would I be able to understand the main topic of my writing if I had no
prior exposure?' This should indicate whether or not more details are needed.
Use Figurative Language
Whenever you are writing a descriptive essay or paragraphs, use figurative languages like simile and metaphors. For
example, Her smile was like sunshine.
Figurative language will add feelings to your text and enhances the value of your work. A reader will also find your
work as a masterpiece of writing. It will help in stimulating the interest of the readers.
Sensory Details
Sensory description uses sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste to sketch an impression in writing. Consider a paragraph without
sensory description.

My sister and I walked along the boardwalk each afternoon of our vacation. We watched the ocean and listened to the waves.
Usually we stopped for a snack at one of the many stores that line the boardwalk. Afterwards, we walked along the beach and
let our feet get wet.

Now, consider this paragraph with all five sensory descriptors: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.

My sister and I walked along the boardwalk one afternoon on our vacation. The hot boards warmed our bare feet. We watched
the foam-covered waves topple over each other and then slide back into sea. The crashing water competed with the exuberant
yells from the seagulls. We bought a perfectly oval fluff of pink cotton candy that dissolved sweetly in our mouths.
Afterwards, we walked along the edge of the water, letting the warm salty air blow our hair away from our necks as the cool
water lapped over our toes.
Vivid vs. Vague Language
The sensory details you select in your writing should create for your reader the same picture you have in your mind. Instead
of using vague, general words, your sensory language should be concrete and sensory-packed. This makes the difference
between vivid and vague language. Take a look at the comparison between vague and vivid sentences.

The food was unappetizing.--Vague

The pale turkey slices floated limply in a pool of murky fat. --Vivid
The sprinkler was refreshing.– vague
The cool water from the sprinkler sprayed our hot faces.– vivid
The traffic was heavy.-- vague
Our old car puffed as Main Street became clogged with a line of clamoring motorists.– vivid
FEATURES OF DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

 Descriptive Writing form encompasses the following features:

 Descriptive writing describes all information in chronological order. If describing a person, start with his
appearance, nature, and background. If you are describing a place. Tell readers about the atmosphere,
environment, day and night time, etc. these small things are very useful to make text excellent and keep readers
engaging.
 When we talk about ideal descriptive writing, it should have nouns, adjectives and strong action verbs. These three
things bring life to text and only then a writer can create images in the mind of readers. The reader will also love
to read that text again and again.
 Most of the forms of descriptive writing are colorful and holds a vivid description of sensory details. These details
play a key role in forming of the image in reader’s mind. The reader will also get escapism from daily life only
through this piece of art.
 Last but not least is the use of simile, metaphor, and analogy. These things are like the final touchup to the writing.
Without them, a piece of descriptive writing will remain incomplete.
EXAMPLE OF DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

 Example #1: The Corner Store

“Our Little Store rose right up from the sidewalk; standing in a street of family houses, it alone hadn’t any
yard in front, any tree or flower bed. It was a plain frame building covered over with brick. Above the
door, a little railed porch ran across on an upstairs level and four windows with shades were looking out.
But I didn’t catch on to those. Running in out of the sun, you met what seemed total obscurity inside.
There were almost tangible smells — licorice recently sucked in a child’s cheek, dill pickle brine1 that
had leaked through a paper sack in a fresh trail across the wooden floor, ammonia-loaded ice that had
been hoisted from wet croker sacks and slammed into the icebox with its sweet butter at the door, and
perhaps the smell of still untrapped mice.”
This description of the “Little Store” is not only clear and concise, but also has images and sensory information about
the store building.
My family ate dinner at Merrymead Diner every Friday night while I was a child. We huddled close in a large, red booth as
we scanned the familiar menu. The aroma of gravy over creamy mashed potatoes lingered in the air. I snuggled close to my
mom’s arm as she ordered our drinks. The waitress brought our thick milkshakes out on a tray and placed them in front of us
on a paper doily. The jukebox in the back played songs that we all knew the words to, and we sang along until our food
arrived, hot and enticing on the table. Outside I shivered in the cold air, but in the diner I was cozy, munching on crispy
French fries and enjoying a hot, juicy cheeseburger.

 Can you feel the mood of this paragraph? The author is trying to convey a feeling of safety, comfort, and happiness. Notice
how the author does not tell the reader she feels safe and happy. She shows the reader through descriptive detail. Her
dominant impression is one of comfort and happiness.
Example #3: And the Orchestra Played On
“The hinges creaked when I opened the decrepit case. I was greeted by a cascade of loose horsehair — my bow a victim
of mites, the repairman later explained. It was pure agony to twist my fingers into position. But to my astonishment and
that of my teenage children — who had never heard me play — I could still manage a sound.
“It turned out, a few days later, that there were 100 people just like me. When I showed up at a local school for rehearsal,
there they were: five decades worth of former students. There were doctors and accountants, engineers and college
professors. There were people who hadn’t played in decades, sitting alongside professionals like Mr. K.’s daughter
Melanie, now a violinist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. There were generations of music teachers.”

In the first paragraph of this descriptive excerpt, the author clearly describes the decrepit nature of the violin case, as well
as the damage time has done to the bow. The second paragraph is a description of the characters, and their similarities.
Both use sensory information for effective descriptions.
What to Avoid When Using Sensory Detail
 Too many adjectives—retain only the most powerful words in your writing, deleting any unnecessary words
 Too many adverbs—verbs are stronger than adverbs. She strolled into the room is more powerful than She walked
casually into the room.
 Clichéd figures of speech—overused language, such as green with envy, signals a lack of imagination. Use fresh,
descriptive words that go against rote thinking.
Example #2: Yarn
“The yellow mittens I made in seventh-grade home economics proved that I dreamed in color. For the unit on knitting, we
were 1 supposed to turn in a pair of mittens. The two hands had to be precisely the same size so that when we held them
together, palm to palm, no extra stitches would stick out from the thumb, the tip of the fingers, or the cuff. Somewhere
between making the fourth and the fifth mitten to fulfill this requirement, I dreamed that the ball of yellow yarn in my bag
had turned green. Chartreuse, leaf, Granny Smith, lime, neon, acid green. The brightness was electric. I woke up knowing
that I was, once again, doomed for a D in home ec.”

See the use of colors in this paragraph by writer. This is called “pure description,” in that the description appeals to the
senses. The use of word “brightness” in the last line is striking one.
ACTIVITY:

Write a descriptive essay on:

 An Event that changed your life.
 A trauma or happiness